Closure for envelops or bags.



PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

J. B. MERKELS. CLOSURE FOB ENVELOPS 0R BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. l906.-

JOHN B. MERKELS, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOI S.

FFICE.

CLOSURE FOR ENVELOPS OR BAG-S.

T all whom it may concern: Be it known that 1, JOHN B. MERKELs, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- Il S, have invented new and useful Improvements in. Closures for Envelops or Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to closures for bags and envelope; and it is designed to provide simple and efficient means for closing 'such- I articles without sealing the same against 1nspection.

Metal fastening clips of known construction are employed for the purpose of holding the closures, and the envelops or bags may be put on the market each one havlng a clip 1 attached, or Without any clip at all, the clips to .be provided by the user. With an ordi- .nary envelop designed to hold circulars,

pamphlets, booklets or other matter more or ess u lky, .or with bags in which merchandisc is to be mailed, such as grain or seeds,

. the mouth of the envelop or'bag can not well be closed by apaper clip or clas because of the'tendency to tear the enve op and because the contents tend to work against the clip during transit or in handling, so that r the clip is apt to be forced off, in which event the envelop opens and the contents fall out.

' and the accom anying drawings.

at the end t ereof.

In this invention, a strip is provided on the back or side of the envelop, and the flap or end of the envelop or bag is foldeddown upon the stri and the parts folded together and fastene by a paper clip or clasp, so that-the contents of the envelo or bag do not work against the cli' but against the flap or closure With this device, no matterhow bulky the envelop or bag is, a cli can be used to hold it closed.

The particular features of the invention will be evident from the following description In the drawings, two orms of the invention are shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an envelop,

0 en. Fi 2 is a similar view, folded or c osed. F ig. 3 is a similar view of the same, closed. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectives of the invention applied as a bag closure, in open and partly closed positlons, respectively.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the same closed.

The forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive,

are articularly adapted for envelop closures,

an those shown in the remaining figures for Specification of Letters Patent.

/ i I Application filed June 14.1906. Serial No. 321.724.

iatented Jan. 28, 1908.

attaching or forming a strip on one side of the envelop or bag, preferably the back, tothe lower edge of whlch the flap can be fastened by means ofa paper fastener 'aftert'he flap and strip are folded together. In the bag closures. Referring to the former, 6 in form shown in Fig. 1 such a strip is shown at 9, and this is made by turning down the; top or upper end of the back 7 and securing the strip to the back by means of gum as in: dicated at 10, leaving a detached space be tween the ends. The strip 9 folds upon the. lines 9 and 9 forming two folds which errvelop or inclose the folds of the flap .8. closing this form the flap 8 is folded down, on the line 8*, upon the strip. 9. Said strip is of greater width than the flap, so that when then folded up on the line 9 the lower end of the strip folds over the lowered eof the flap. Then the flap and strip 816 0th folded together, on the lines 8 and 9 to the form shown in Fig. 3. A pa er clip 11 is, then applied to the fold at t e lower edge. thereof, one branch of the clip entering under the folds to the detached space between the gummed ortions 10 and the other" branch of the c ip lying upon the outside of the fold, so that the Whole fold is gripped and held by the clip. One or more such clips can be applied, according to the length of the envelop or the nature of its contents. The fastening so'formed enables the clip to be removed and the contents of the envelop inspected, which is desirable in mailing circulars, booklets and other merchandise of any kind.

I 755 In printed matter, or

With respect to bags or envelopes designed to contain merchandise, especially such as grain r seeds, it is desirable that. both thefront and back of the bagbe of thesame hei ht, or so as to match around the mouth 0% the bag, whereby said front and back can be folded down together at the to to form a closure which will not readily leaii. Thus, in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, one side, which may be called the front of the bag, is indicated at 6, and the back at 7. The strip 9 is similar to the strip used wi'th'the envelop,

as above described, but instead of being I embracing the fold and extending under the formed integral with the back of the enstrip, at said unattached part. velop, it is a separate piece of paper, at- 2. A closure for a tached tothe back of the bag by gum at the prising a strip secured at its upper corners to upper corners, as at 10. The same detached one side of the receptacle below the mouth space is left between the guinmed portions, l thereof, the-stri p having-an unattached part between and below said corners, part of the and the strip also folded on the two lines 9 I receptacle at the mouth thereof being folded I down upon and in together with the lower and I)". The front 6 and back 7 of the bag fold together above the strip 9, on the lines 7 and 7", and to form a closure said parts 6 part of said strip, and a clip embracing said and '7 are brought together at the top and fold and extending under between the strip folded down on the line '7 upon the strip 9, v and the receptacle, at said unattacl-ied part. the lower end of which is. then folded up, on 3. A closure. for an envelop orbag, comline 9 and over the mouth of the bag Then prising a flap at the mouth all parts are folded together upon the lines 7 cured at its ends to one side of the receptacle, and 9 to produce. the complete fold. The below the mouth thereof and unattached beelip 11 is then applied to the fold in the same tween said ends, the manner as above described. Y I I and together with the strip, and a spring clip The invention is not limited to the exact i engaging and embracing the fold at the inner form shown. Instead of the square form l edge thereof and extending under the strip, shown, the envelop flaps can be cut oil tribetween the endsthereof. angularly, as with an ordinary envelop. 4. A closure for a paper receptacle, com-- The strip 9 may be made of any length doprising a strip secured at its upper corners to sired, and may be attached at any points I the side of the receptacle below the mouth along the length of the strip, and the. unat- I thereof and unattached between said corners tached space for the clip may accordingly be and having a lower unattached portion, the top of the receptacle being folded down upon said strip, and the latter being folded up around said part and over the mouth of the receptacle, forming a closed fold at the upper edge thereof, and a s ring clip having branches between which the old 1s embraced, said oh being applied to the lower edge of said fol placed anywhere along the length of the strip, but the fastening holds best when the strip is attached at its ends, leaving the middle portion free for the cli or clips employed. The contents of an envelb or bag rovided with the closures describezF cannot leak out. The invention avoids the use of metallic fasteners which penetrate or produce holes in the envelop or ba and consequently it can be repeatedly use if desired.

1 claim:

1. A closure for a paper rece tacle, comprising a strip attached at its on s to one side ofthe receptacle and having an intermediate unattached art, art'of the receptacle, at the mouth t ereof j being folded down upon and Within said strip two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN B. MERKELS. Witnesses W. J. RoBrNsoN,

when closed, and a clip H. G. BATOHELOR.

flap being folded within in the presence of paper receptacle, com- I tl-iereof,'a strip soi with one of its branches extending under the 

